After the BBMAs
by lilmizzhugable13
Summary: (Haylor FanFiction) After a messy, unresolved break up, the Billboard Music Awards was a successful night for both of them. But Harry's noticeable absence from Taylor's after party causes people like Niall and Calvin to wonder just what happened between them two and what is still going on between them? (Rated M for language. Not really planning on a sex scene)
1. Chapter 1

This is something different that I'm doing. I'm not really a big fan in celebrity fiction, and I usually don't care about celebrities, but I just got so inspired about this ex-couple. I was just listening to Taylor's album and somehow, I wrote 3 chapters in one night. I have a problem.

Either way, I'm proud of what I'm writing. If you guys want, just change the names, but I still love this idea. This story takes place after this past Sunday's Billboard Music Awards. Taylor had an after party, one where One Direction was invited, but Liam and Harry didn't go. There is pictures online, so look it up if you want.

I'm already saying this is a **Haylor** fanfic (aka **Taylor Swift and Harry Styles from One Direction** ). If any of you have a problem with this pairing, then **DON'T READ IT.** I will not take any negative comments about this pairing. If you have **constructive criticism** about my writing, or if I have a factual error, then I will accept it. Other than that, please refrain from reading this story.

Thank you. I hope you enjoy it.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry

"You sure?" Niall asked his band mate as they were getting into separate cars. Him and Louis were going to Taylor's after party; therefore, they planned to go in the town car. Liam and Harry, however, were skipping out and decided to share a cab. Liam was tired from the whole event and wasn't up for a party. Harry's reason, though, was less than simple.

"Yeah, I'm not up for it. Too tired," was all Harry said. Niall didn't believe a word, and frankly, neither did Harry, but Niall didn't question it. All he did was nod.

"Alright." They did their handshake before entering in both vehicles. Liam was already waiting for Harry inside and told the taxi driver the location of their hotel. It wasn't too far from the arena, probably a good 10 minutes, but to the both of them, 10 minutes seemed like 10 years. The only difference was that Liam was tired. Harry, on the other hand, was exhausted.

It was hard to get through the night. Sure, it was an amazing night for their group as they won two awards; it meant a lot more since Zayn had departed recently (they made sure to give him a shout out in their acceptance speech since he was a part of the group and contributed to their win). However, it wasn't only a good night for them.

A certain blonde he has a history with won 8 awards tonight.

He saw a glimpse of her on the red carpet after the show ended. She could barely hold all the awards and even resorted to using them as bracelets to take a decent picture. She smiled, gave shocked faces, and laughed as the pictures snapped before walking away, having her brother help her carry them. He could already see the image. Her thin, toned body in that white jumpsuit, the white bringing out her incredible blue eyes and making her skin seem tanner. Her hair in that messy, fluffy, bed head style even though it looked nothing like her actual bed head. He knows the difference. Still, he knew that soon enough, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, her picture will show up on his newsfeed with a caption that congratulates her on her successful night.

Or maybe he'd see an article by an online website (like MTV or Perez's blog) describing how strong her new music video is. And it was. It was strong on so many levels. It was so edgy, dark, and action-packed that it was practically a movie. His favorite part, though, was all those outfits she wore. His personal favorites were the black catsuit, the studded bra, and the beige halter top with a black pencil skirt. He also liked the red hair. He never would've thought red hair would just add to her sex-appeal.

 _No,_ he stopped himself. _You have no right to think of her like that._ And he didn't really. He gave up that right when they broke up. Those thoughts were reserved for her new guy, that DJ...

"Congratulations are in order for Miss. Taylor Swift who snagged an outstanding 8 awards today at the Billboard Music Awards! It seemed, though, that the awards weren't the only things hanging on her arm. Rumored beau Calvin Harris packed the PDA tonight as well, confirming what we thought about their relationship status. Along with her new music video "Bad Blood" already hitting a million views in just 30 minutes, Taylor seems to be on top of the world right now. Keep slaying it Tay!" Out of the Woods blasted from the speakers right after, and Harry chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. Oh how fate seemed to hate him.

Liam didn't notice his bitterness, and if he did, he didn't acknowledge it. He seemed genuinely tired from tonight's award show, slightly dosing off on the ride and leaving Harry to his thoughts.

The song played with Harry not really listening until a line stuck out on him.

 _"Remember when you hit the brakes too soon. Twenty stitches in the hospital room. When you started crying, baby I did too."_

Yes, yes he did remember. Riding on that motorcar wasn't the best idea the Brit had, and it was further emphasized by their accident. Something Taylor apparently remembered clearly. There were tears, but Harry's wasn't because of the stitches. He wasn't sure if she knew, but now he knew hers weren't either.

 _"Remember when we couldn't take the heat. I walked out, said 'I'm setting you free.'"_

The heat was too much to take for both of them. Their relationship was great, but too many things kept on piling on them. Too many things kept attacking the castle they were trying to build until finally, there was nothing left to knock down. They gave up. HE gave up.

 _"But,"_ as Taylor sang afterwards, _"the monsters turned out to be just trees."_ And that realization killed Harry. It made him realize they gave up for nothing. HE gave up for nothing.

They arrived at the hotel. Liam woke up, handed the driver a 50 (despite their ride being less than $10), and opened the car. He stepped out confidently, waiting as Harry was hesitating. He heard Taylor was staying at their hotel. Whether that rumor was true or not, he didn't want to chance it. He couldn't afford to.

"I think I'm going back," he said, causing Liam to groggily ask what he meant. "I'm gonna go back to LA. There's something I wanna record that I have stuck in my head."

The excuse was bullshit, and Harry knew it sounded that way, but to Liam's tired mind, it was believable. So all he did was nod and turned away, entering the hotel. Surprisingly, no paparazzi were there, but Harry realized him and Liam were the only two who didn't go to any of the after parties. No one thought anyone would skip out on the parties. Well, surprise surprise!

Looked like luck was on his side.

He told the driver to go to the airport. As they were on the road again, Taylor's "Bad Blood" was playing, and it wasn't the remix with Kendrick Lamar.

 _"Did you think we'd be fine? Still got scars on my back from your knife, so don't think it's in the past. These kind of wounds they last and they last."_

He knew exactly who this song was about. Although many believe the female this song is directed to is Katy Perry, they couldn't be more wrong. He didn't want to think about it, though.

"Excuse me, can you turn off the radio."

The next 28 minutes of silence was a blessing to his heart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Taylor**

Taylor wanted to go home.

Most would consider this after party a successful one (since almost everyone attended), but Taylor didn't want success. Not in this situation at least. This after party wasn't even her idea but her management's. They decided it would be a good decision to host one and set up a photo booth in order to take pictures so people would post it on social media and Taylor would gain more followers.

This wasn't the only stunt her management has come up with for publicity. Her new "relationship" with Calvin Harris was another one of their products. They're working on a new song, and although it isn't even 1/4 completed, her management decided to do what Zedd and her best friend Selena did. They decided to fake a relationship so they would create hype for their inevitable single. Then, after a few months, they would end up breaking up without disclosing their reasonings and stay good friends.

Although it was against Taylor's morales, she didn't really have a choice. It was a good plan, although it isn't ethical. She didn't feel anything for Calvin. He was a great guy, funny and handsome, but she wasn't ready for another relationship. Not since after...

Besides, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Calvin didn't seem to have her mindset.

Although Taylor couldn't definitely prove it, she looked at the pictures the paparazzi took on their "dates" and the ones taken during the BBMAs that were already posted on social media. He smiled a little too real. He looked at her a little too long. He held her a little too tight.

Taylor knew he wasn't that good of an actor. The man couldn't even lie to her. She knew he was actually starting to like her, and that wasn't good. They were gonna break up one day, and Taylor found herself practically looking forward to that day. Calvin, though, didn't seem as if he was counting the days.

His arm around her shoulder felt so heavy. It felt nothing like...

Taylor quickly downed the drink, trying to cloud her judgement. Although she wasn't sure what she drank, it sure did its job and immediately hazed her. She wasn't anywhere near drunk, not even tipsy, but she lost her train of thought.

"Taylor!" She heard someone yell. She turned to her left and saw blond hair styled upwards and knew who it was.

"Niall!" She yelled back, throwing her arms up and walking to his direction. She mainly did it to get space from Calvin, but she also wanted to hug Niall. Even though she's not best friends with the members of One Direction, her and Niall were close to best friends. He loves her music and she loves his personality. As they hug, she felt Calvin's hand on the curve of her back. He touched her more than she liked, but it was part of the reason why people believed their relationship. Besides, when this arrangement ended, it would only hurt him if she was right in his feelings.

When they broke apart, Taylor hugged Louis before stepping back and downing another drink. Niall looked at her questioningly before she said, "I'm thirsty." He almost laughed at her excuse. That was another reason why he thought Taylor and Harry were good together: they both were bad at making excuses. Although he never found out what happened between the two (Harry never wanted to talk about it), he knew it was something bad. Bad was an understatement, though. It left his mate almost destroyed for a week before he was able to get himself together. Although Harry isn't over it, Niall knew he was trying to live with it.

To anyone else, it would seem Taylor was doing fine. Great even. She was smiling, looking great, and acted the same, but Niall could tell. He could see her eyes weren't as blue anymore, her smile looked a little too big, her outfits weren't tailored to perfection like always (her jumpsuit today was a little too long), and her actions felt rehearsed. Niall knew if he could tell, then her best friends could.

He knew Selena knew. He would catch the brunette sometimes giving her friend a reassuring smile. He thought Cara, Ed, and Karlie knew, but he wasn't betting his money on it. The rest of her entourage were probably clueless to the entire affair.

Still, one thing he couldn't figure out was Calvin's part in all of this. The DJ undoubtedly liked Taylor, but when she tensed at he wrapped his arm around her waist, Niall knew the singer didn't feel the same as him.

"I'm so glad you guys can make it!" She said genuinely. Niall smiled.

"We're glad to be here."

That's when Taylor took notice of the other there's absence. She knew Zayn wasn't going to go to the BBMAs, but the others had no excuse not to come. "Is it only you two?" she expressed, trying to hide her concern. And she did a good job, Niall had to admit.

He shook is head. "Harry and Liam were tired." He could practically see the disappointment flash through her eyes. He watched as Taylor grabbed another drink and gripped the glass tightly.

"Oh well, I'm still glad you two made it! Have fun and get ready because we're gonna have to take pictures," she warned them playfully, and Niall was impressed. She could be an actress if she decided to.

As her and Calvin walked away together, he saw her down her next drink before quickly grabbing another. Niall chuckled. He didn't need to worry about Harry. He needed to worry about Taylor becoming an alcoholic. He turned back to Lois and saw their good friend Ed. They walked over to him and quickly made conversation.

Taylor wanted to go home.

She couldn't hide it anymore. The alcohol wasn't affecting her the same anymore. She felt too sober, almost as if she had her blood cleaned instead of tainting it with alcohol.

Harry wasn't here. She knew as soon as she acknowledged him, that would be it, but she couldn't ignore it. Why wasn't he here? Was it because he still thought she was angry?

Well she still was, but not at him. That's why she wrote Bad Blood, to make sure he knew she wasn't mad at him but at Kendall. Hell, she didn't even invite her to be in the video. She couldn't of made it clearer in a subtle way. The next step would've been to write her feelings in a song, but that would've caused too much controversy, especially since she's suppose to be completely happy with Calvin and on good terms with Harry. Good terms means no more songs about him. Now, she had to write about love and happiness and rainbows and lollipops.

She cursed at herself. Why did she trust Kendall? She should've known how she was with her interference with her best friend's relationship with Justin. She should've figured that she would've wanted to sabotage her and Harry's relationship. Kendall had the reputation of being a homewrecker in the industry, but she seemed so nice and respectful when they first met. Taylor trusted her, and now?

All Taylor could do is blast her when Selena slept over.

It took Taylor hours figuring out how to invite the boys to her after party. Even if she didn't plan the party, she was able to do the guest list, and she wanted to invite the Direction boys. Not only for Harry (though he was the majority of her reason) but for the others too. Especially Niall. The guy was a brother to her. Liam and Louis were great friends. Zayn was someone she deeply respected and often came to for advice on her songs. He's part of the reason why she made up her mind and decided to go pop. She couldn't invite them one by one because it seemed too personal, but inviting them as a group seemed too formal and cruel considering Zayn's departure. In the end, she sent them one invitation as a group but made sure not to include Zayn's name. She then sent Zayn a separate invitation in case he decided to go, although she heard he wasn't going to the BBMAs.

She made sure Harry knew she wasn't angry anymore, but maybe he didn't get it? Or did he just not care?

Why did she even want him to come? It's better that he didn't come, right? It would've definitely been a nuisance for her. She'd have to try to avoid him while not making it too noticeable all the meanwhile selling her love for Calvin. The last thing she wanted was for Harry to think she had someone else. But why? Did she want him back?

Taylor didn't admit it to herself. She couldn't. She didn't want him back. She was a successful singer. Her eight awards tonight proved that. Her album broke records, and her sales were something unfathomable in the industry. She already started her world tour. She has so many dedicated fans who love her, her loving family supporting her, and so many great friends. Her new music video already has a million views despite it being posted for only half an hour. She didn't need Harry.

She didn't need him.

The DJ interrupted her reverie. The DJ was a small-time one, one who played in clubs and was desperate for gigs. He was also a fan of hers who reached out to her on Twitter about whether or not he should continue on his passion even though he was virtually broke with a wife and a kid on the way. Taylor hired him for tonight after listening to his songs online and discovering he was pretty good. She paid him well, and if he used that money wisely, he'd be able to live comfortably for years and get his kid through college before having to work again.

"A'ight guys. Here's the deal. I was scanning through the radio, and a certain someone is getting a shoutout," he said before playing the broadcast.

"Congratulations are in order for Miss. Taylor Swift who snagged an outstanding 8 awards today at the Billboard Music Awards!" The people in the room cheered.

"It seemed, though, that the awards weren't the only things hanging on her arm. Rumored beau Calvin Harris packed the PDA tonight as well, confirming what we thought about their relationship status." A collective round of 'ooh's sounded throughout the room with the occasional kissing noise. Taylor made herself blush and hid in Calvin's neck. The crowd was eating it up.

"Along with her new music video "Bad Blood" already hitting a million views in just 30 minutes, Taylor seems to be on top of the world right now. Keep slaying it Tay!" People cheered once again as Out of the Woods started to play. Everyone went back to dancing as the DJ put a new twist to the record, keeping everyone dancing.

 _How ironic,_ Taylor thought. She thought of when she recorded that song. She had to do it alone in the middle of the night when no one was there because she threatened to break out in tears. This was really the first song she wrote about Harry. Mostly people thought it was I Knew You Were Trouble, but that song had been under development for years. It was suppose to go on her Speak Now album, but it was never ready. It wasn't until Red that she felt it was perfect. It was only a coincidence it came out after her and Harry's messy end.

And it really was a messy end.

That was Taylor's biggest regret. Their relationship may have ended, but it was never resolved. In a way, they were still going out because there was no closure on either of their parts.

To say they were still going out, though, was something Taylor lost the privilege of saying.

She didn't notice how close she was to crying until a teardrop fell down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and looked around her to see if anyone saw it. When she made eye contact with Niall, she quickly yawned to give herself an excuse for her teary eyes and turned away.

"Would you like to dance?" Calvin asked. He had noticed her yawn and thought she was tired. Taylor thanked him for his ignorance.

She nodded, gave him a smile that felt fake even to her, and walked out to the dance floor, dragging him behind her. As a new song played, the fake couple quickly started to grind against one another, something Taylor felt disgusted to do. She was practically leading him on. Then again, that was what their entire relationship was: he was dangling on to the belief she could like him as well instead of faking it, and she was giving him the basis of his belief.

Taylor sighed. She really wanted to go home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry**

Harry woke up to his phone vibrating. It was past 1 o'clock, and he was in the airport waiting. Lucky for him, late night flights were very unpopular and were mainly taken by business men and women. Therefore, not many people recognized him. Just a few parents who's daughters loved him and ask for autographs and the lady behind the desk who gave him his flight. She just ask for a picture and didn't make a big deal out of it. She was even able, in fact, to get him on the next fight to LA which started boarding at 1:40.

Harry fished for his phone and looked at the text. It was from Niall. He unlocked his phone and opened the message. The words were a little blurry from his still sleepy and watery eyes, but when he adjusted the brightness, he was able to read the message.

"She still likes you, mate. I'm pretty sure her new bf is a publicity thing. Now that you know, stop being in the dumps. I can promise you she's there too."

His words took a minute to process in his head. Even though no names were mentioned, he knew exactly who he was talking about. It was the same girl he dreamt about. The same girl who, in his dream, walked around the park in and fed the ducks during that one date they had. The one who had her blond hair in a pony tail, a heavy red coat, a yellow scarf, fitted jeans, a brown messenger bag, and the pair of vintage shoes she had been obsessed with that time. The one who wore his paper airplane necklace for the first time that day. The one who gave him what could've possibly been the best day of his life.

"Hello?"

He jumped a little in shock. He didn't even notice he had dialed her on his phone, but when he looked down and saw her name on his screen and her photo icon of her and her cat, Meredith, he knew what he had done.

He called Taylor, and she answered. Said hello, even. So what was he doing staying silent like an idiot?

"Harry?" She called to him hesitantly. Harry shook his head out of his shock.

"Hey," was all he could get out. He then clenched his fist and brought it to his forehead. _Idiot,_ he fired at himself. _Say something else!_ "Sorry. I didn't mean to call."

"Oh..." The disappointment in her tone made him realize what he said.

"No no no. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant I wasn't planning on calling," he cleared up quickly. Then he once again cursed himself at how desperate he sounded.

"Oh." Although her reply was the same, he knew it meant something else. She was no longer disappointed, and he was grateful for that. The fact that she hadn't hung up yet meant she wasn't angry at him, and the last thing he wanted was to get her mad.

"Yeah," he said a moment later before an awkward silence fell between them. It was so awkward, he could practically see how she was standing. Her legs close together with her left arm across her stomach as her left hand gripped her right forearm that was parallel to the floor as it held her phone next to her ear. She was probably looking down at her shoes, trying to find some way to end the awkward silence. In a way, Harry didn't want it to end because it made him feel as if they were next to each other again. Close to each other.

They both started talking at the same time quickly, sounding like a jumbled mess. They both stopped at the same time before he heard Taylor say timidly, "You can speak first."

He blink. Was was he gonna say? He couldn't even remember, but something was gonna come out of his mouth. What was it?

He realized he was taking too long, so he just replied with, "Congratulations on tonight."

He heard Taylor sigh. "Thank you. You too. You guys had a good night."

Harry chuckled. "Not as great as you. We took literally 1/4 of what you got."

Taylor laughed. "Yes well I've been working in this industry for nearly 11 years. Y'all are just rookies."

Harry smiled at her little southern drawl. Despite living in New York for some time now, she still had a little bit of accent left over from her childhood.

"Yes well, there is five of us, we're English and Irish, and we're all extremely good looking." Taylor laughed on the other end. It was only when Harry thinking back at what he said that he realized his mistake. "Well, four now."

Taylor's laughing seized, and he almost regretted bringing it up. Before, a sense of lightheartedness was between them, and now, he brought them back to reality and how much things have changed since they last talked.

He almost expected Taylor to hang up on him, until he heard her say, "Did it hurt?"

He let out a sharp breath of air through his nose. She definitely was full of surprises. That's one of the reasons why he... "It felt like I was losing a brother, and the departure seemed to have been a messy one."

He almost slapped himself. _Honestly, can't you stop?_ He scolded himself. After all, he was walking on a thin line.

Taylor paid no mind, though, and replied, "I can't imagine that. He was a great person."

Harry nodded, thankful for his second chance. "He was." He made sure to think before he spoke.

"You know, he kind of reminded me of Flynn Rider."

Harry bursted out laughing. He could hear Taylor's laughter on the other end. He was completely flabbergasted. "What?" He asked to the laughing girl at the other end.

"He does! He has the same looks, the same voice, the same suave charm. Plus Flynn's voice actor is English so..." She trailed off as he started laughing again. He vaguely remembered the animated movie that he was forced to watch once with her, and suddenly he made the connection.

"I'll be honest with you sweetheart, I never thought of him as Flynn Rider, but now I have something new to call him," he laughed before he noticed she wasn't laughing. He wondered why until he realized what he called her. _What happened to censoring your words, Styles?_ He spoke to himself.

Taylor didn't miss a beat though and said, "Well I guess you owe me one."

Harry was grateful for her moving on. "That I do."

Another silence befell them, this one slightly less awkward. Instead, it was comfortable without both of them trying to frantically find what to say. Instead, they just mellowed over their conversation before Harry cleared his throat.

"What were you going to say?" He resisted calling her sweetheart at the end.

Taylor laughed. "I don't remember."

Harry laughed as well. "Well, that's the thing with me. You tend to forget things."

"Not everything," Taylor replied, making Harry tense. He really couldn't keep his thoughts to himself.

Taylor seemed to realize what she said and quickly continued, "Like the fact that you and Liam are not at my after party."

Harry let out a shaky breath. He knew Taylor didn't mean that, but he was willing to welcome any opportunity given to him to avoid sending their conversation down the wrong path. "Sorry. Liam was pretty much deceased at the end of the awards."

"And you?" Taylor asked.

Harry swallowed the lump at his throat. "I'm afraid I'm needed at LA tomorrow morning. I'm just waiting for my flight."

"You could've just..." He heard Taylor whisper before she stopped herself. He didn't know how that sentence was going to end, but he refused to ask. "I understand. Duty calls," she says afterwards.

Harry nods before realizing she couldn't see him. "It's a daily occupational hazard." They both laugh together.

 _This is getting dangerous,_ Harry thought. And it was. It was great that they were getting along, but they were getting along the wrong way. They were flirting with each other, teasing one another. This would only lead them to what they were before.

 _Two paper airplanes flying..._

"Harry?" Taylor asked him, confused. _Shit,_ he thought. He must've said them out loud.

Harry cursed a few more times to himself before he heard a voice on the intercom in the airport saying, "Flight 217 to Los Angeles will begin boarding shortly. Flight 217 to Los Angeles will begin boarding shortly."

He turned his attention back to Taylor. "I'm sorry. I need to board."

He heard Taylor sigh. "Oh, yeah. Sure. Ok." It was silent for another minute, Harry not moving from his position. "Umm... I need to go to. I think people might start to wonder where there hostess is."

Harry nods. "Yeah. I don't think they're gonna be particularly happy with you gone for forty minutes. Especially your new boyfriend," Harry added the last part bitterly before hitting himself in his leg. _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

"Who?" Taylor asked, genuinely confused. Harry stopped. How could she not remember her own boyfriend? Unless... "Wait. Forty minutes!" Harry let out a hum of confirmation. "Oh my god. I can't believe it was forty minutes. I'm sorry. I need to go."

"Yeah, so do I," Harry said back.

"Ok. Well, uh, goodbye Harry," she said.

"Goodbye Taylor."

Despite their words, neither hung up on the other. Instead, all they heard was each other's breath and felt each other's presence for the next 3 minutes.

Harry was the first to break the silence. "I don't want to hang up," he admitted. He didn't curse himself this time. This was something he really wanted to express.

Taylor hums. "Well, you could always call back," she suggested, bring a smile to Harry's face. She wanted him to call her back...

"Ok," he said, almost dreamily.

He could practically feel Taylor's smile. "Ok," she whispered. Another moment passed by them until she sighed softly.

Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't want to say goodbye again, because 1. They already said it and 2. It seemed to cold of a word. This occasion required something more than that.

In the end, all he could say was, "Goodnight Taylor."

He heard her sigh again. "Goodnight Harry," she whispered. He waited until he saw a flash of light coming from his phone, indicating she hung up. He stayed looking at his phone for a while. He didn't understand the consequences at that moment because he was still slightly tired, but he knew as soon as he landed in LA, his mind would tell him everything he said wrong in the conversation, every action he did wrong from her calling her to him not hanging up.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you on this flight?" A male flight attendant asked him. He didn't seem to recognize him, and Harry smiled at that.

"Yes, sir."

The attendant nodded. "We're are about to close up the gate, so please board on your seat."

Harry nodded and started to walk towards the gate. He didn't bring anything seeing as he left his luggage and personal items at the hotel. All he had was his phone and his wallet with his portable charger. He would be fine for the next few days without his things.

As he got settled in to first class (which was almost empty except for three other men in business suits and one elderly woman), he thought back to the phone call with Taylor, and he smiled.

Yes, he'll scold himself later. But for now, he'll just bask in this feeling of happiness that he can't help but feel right now.


End file.
